1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bonding apparatus such as a die bonding apparatus, wire bonding apparatus, etc.
2. Prior Art
A bonding apparatus is equipped with a pair of frame guide rails which are installed so as to face each other and guide lead frames, a heating block which is for a bonding stage and is installed between the frame guide rails so as to heat the lead frames, and feeding claws which intermittently feed the lead frames.
In such a bonding apparatus, the heating block must be able to heat the lead frames to a prescribed temperature in a short time, while at the same time it must be able to prevent abrupt temperature changes of the lead frames. So as to satisfy these requirements, a pre-stage heating block and an after-stage heating block are generally installed before and after the bonding stage heating block or a main heating block.
A conventional example of a bonding apparatus of this type which includes three heating blocks is described in Japanese Pre-Examined Patent Application Publication (Kokai) No. H1-124224.
In this prior art (Japanese H1-124224), the three heating blocks are in fact combined into a single unit. However, in the bonding apparatus with a single unit heating block, the size of the heating block tends to be large, and temperature control is generally difficult. Accordingly, currently, three heating blocks are more often used separately.
In cases where the width of the lead frames changes due to a change in the type of product (lead frames) to be processed, it is necessary to change the width or distance between the pair of frame guide rails so as to meet the width of the new product to be processed. Furthermore, it is also necessary to replace the pre-stage heating block and after-stage heating block and adjust the positions of the feeding claws.
Adjustment of the width or distance between the guide rails is currently accomplished automatically as described in, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication (Kokoku) No. H4-39227. However, as to the pre-stage heating block and after-stage heating block, it is necessary to loosen the bolts and nuts fastening the heating blocks and then to replace the heating blocks with heating blocks that are suited to the new product to be processed. However, these operations are complex and require a considerable amount of time. Furthermore, it is also necessary to keep pre-stage heating blocks and after-stage heating blocks ready for each type of product to be processed, causing problems in terms of storing and equipment costs.